SAN JUAN, P.R.—The Caribbean Hotel Assn. (CHA) and its environmental subsidiary, the Caribbean Alliance for Sustainable Tourism (CAST), have announced the opening of the nomination process for the new 2007 American Express Caribbean Environmental Award. This award recognizes the commitment made to sustainable tourism by Caribbean hotels each year and social performances as demonstrated by their policies, plans and records of activities. The deadline for submission of nominations is March 20, 2007. “This is probably one of the most important hotel awards this year,” says Dianelys Rodríguez, Vice President of Destination Business Development, American Express Company. “In light...

TORONTO—Fairmont Hotels & Resorts announced that it will manage Pittsburgh’s newest hotel to be housed in Three PNC Plaza, a 780,000-square-foot mixed-use “green” building complex now under construction by The PNC Financial Services Group Inc. in the heart of downtown. Fairmont Pittsburgh, expected to open in summer 2009, will be built according to sustainable design and construction guidelines. In addition to the hotel, the complex will include a 326,000-square-foot office building, the first of its kind in 20 years. “We are delighted to place the Fairmont name on this hotel,” says William R. Fatt, Fairmont’s CEO. “The new...

NATIONAL REPORT—Fortunately for the lodging industry, the options for energy-efficient interior lighting have grown substantially over the last several years. Compact fluorescent lamps (CFLs) have become more affordable and compact, offer better light quality, and include reduced levels of mercury and lead—a real advantage for the environment. Linear fluorescents also have improved and an increasing number of LED lighting products have become available. Green Lodging News recently spoke with a number of lighting companies to uncover the newest energy-efficient hotel interior lighting products. Below is a summary from each company (listed in alphabetical order): Aero-Tech Light Bulb Co.—Ray Schlosser, president...

LONDON—Great Hotels Organization (GHO) will announce the launch of its new Eco Collection at ITB in March. Officially in operation in November, the new collection will complement the brand’s existing portfolio by offering hotels the chance to uniquely distinguish themselves for being ecologically friendly, while also meeting consumer demand for alternative eco-friendly accommodation in one simple directory. Following a year of research, GHO’s Eco Collection will include a range of strict and monitored membership prerequisites. In addition to the basic requirement of member hotels operating and auditing a comprehensive energy management system, other criteria include: • Conservation...

ITHACA, N.Y.—Why should hospitality leaders embrace uncertainty, disruption, and risk when the world (and perhaps a boss or two) prizes confidence, calmness, and security? Does innovation really pay? And does sustainability? These questions and many more will be answered at Hotel Ezra Cornell (HEC), April 12-15, 2007. The theme of this year’s conference is rather fitting for an 82-year-old organization: “Sustainability Through Innovation.” When the student leaders of HEC chose the theme, they aimed to answer the question, “What must innovative hospitality organizations do in order to survive and to thrive?” The theme includes, but is certainly not...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—Marriott International Inc. announced the winners in the first phase of the company’s Energy and Water Resource Management Contest, open to more than 350 hotels outside of the United States. Marriott challenged these hotels to reduce the percentage of total consumption of energy (kilowatt hours per occupied room) and water usage during a six-month period in 2006 in comparison to the same timeframe in 2005. Creativity, innovation and associate teamwork were vital to the success of the three hotels named as winners of the challenge: the London Marriott County Hall, Renaissance Chemnitz Hotel, and Surfers Paradise Marriott Resort...

WASHINGTON, D.C.—More than 3,200 top performing buildings have earned the Energy Star for powerful cuts to their energy bills and greenhouse gas emissions. These award-winning buildings represent almost 575 million square feet, save an estimated $600 million annually in lower energy bills, and prevent almost 11 billion pounds of greenhouse gas emissions, equal to emissions from almost 900,000 vehicles. “Through Energy Star, President Bush and EPA are brightening our nation’s future, and I applaud these buildings for being America’s energy all-stars,” says EPA Administrator Stephen L. Johnson. “Whether you are running a grocery store, a school, or an office building,...

NEW YORK—Top trends that will influence the global hotel industry in the year ahead include rising energy costs, the stabilizing of the U.S. lodging market, increasing capital flows into the hospitality sector from a broad range of investors, including offshore funds, and superior performance among luxury hotel brands, according to a report released by Ernst & Young LLP. “In this report we’ve identified 10 key macro trends that, taken together, we believe will shape the hospitality sector this year and for years to come in the U.S. and in major hospitality markets around the world,” says Michael Fishbin,...

DALLAS—Lodging Hospitality Magazine and Pineapple Hospitality have finalized the agenda for their first Green Hospitality Conference. The event will be held on March 14 at the Hilton Anatole Hotel in Dallas. The conference will precede Lodging Hospitality’s annual Hospitality Operations & Technology event. The day-long event will begin with an introduction and welcome from Gary Dietz, publisher of Lodging Hospitality, and Glenn Hasek, publisher and editor of Green Lodging News. From 9:30 a.m. to 11 a.m., Ed Watkins, editor of Lodging Hospitality, will moderate a “Green Hospitality—Past, Present, Future” session that will include the following participants: Wen Chang,...

SILVER SPRING, MD.—Choice Hotels International has announced that its 433 Comfort Suites hotels in the United States will go 100 percent nonsmoking as of May 1. The 433 properties represent 34,000 rooms. According to Kimberly Shells, Senior Director, Brand Strategy for Choice, the decision to go smoke free was driven by research. “We conducted research among guests and franchisees,” Shells says. “The vast majority of them supported it. It really is for our guests. We found that the vast majority of guests prefer a smoke-free environment.” Ten percent of U.S. Comfort Suites hotels already are 100 percent nonsmoking. The other properties...